The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1887-10-28
$4,000
Damages. for Breach Of
Promise.
ST. CLAIR VS.. GIBSON.
The Fair Plaintiff Obtains an Unan-
imous Verdict.
Exceptions Noted and a New Trial
Moved for by Defendants Counsel
Fall Report of the Ev1-
dence and Incidents
Of the Trial.
The Fair Plaintiff Obtains an Unan-
imous Verdict.

ray Gibson, breach of promise of marriage
Damages laid at $25 900. Smith & Kinney
and A. C. Smith for plaintiff, Paul Neu
mann and F. NJ. Hatch for defendant.
Tried before the following jury: H. S
Tregloan, H. Lose, T. w. Rawlins, VIM
Robson, Z. o. White, T. F. Lansing, A. L
Smith, A. Mossman, G.. H. Nicoll, J. J
Shaw, J. J. Locker and Thos. Lindsay.
EVIDENCE OF THE PLAINTIFF.
The plaintiff was first put on the stand
and testified as follows My name is Flora
Howard ST. Clair 1 was born in Mormon
Island, Sacramento county. My family
were from the South. Have FIVE sisters
and one brother. They are in Sacramento,
with the exception of one sister in San
Francisco and one here. Ny father was
s. R. Caldwell. He died July 10th OF this
year. | was brought up in Sacramento
county and in the city of Sacramento. NV
mother died in 1875. / have lived in San
francisco. was II years old when first
went to Sacramento. I went to live there
when l was between 10 and 20 years old. I
was % when l was married. My husbands
name was Henry Howard ST. Clair. l met
him in San Francisco first, but was mar
ried In Tacoma, Washington Territory. l
had been canvasslng there. l had gone to
San Francisco with my grandfather. He
met with adverse circumstances, and /
desired to help him. He was contractor.
l made two canvassing trips before 1 was
married. At first l canVassed under my
own name. After marriage We went east
to Chicago. My husband was an assayer
and mining expert. We were married
March "a, 1881. We remained in Chicago
two years. Ny husband was with me. We
then returned West. My husband stopped
ar place en- route and l came to San
Francisco week later. / took q house at
S1S Hyde street, and had my brother and
sisters living with me. Ny husband only
stayed In San Francisco short time with
me. He was going to Mexico 1t was my
plan to remain in San Francisco while he
went to Mexico. He went from there to
Chicago, and wrote for me to come. 1 re-
ceiVed telegram about the time I was
going to him. l went to Chicago and
found him sick, and he died week later.
l returned to San Francisco, and moved to
lived with me at Hyde street, and l
wanted to get rid of the surroundings.
About seven months after, owing to bust
Hess reverses. l sold out. Ny sisters went
to Sacramento. and L soon after went to
Los Angeles. went there canvassing for
my books. l was working for A L. Ban
croft Co. Never worked for anyone
else. l took the name of Mrs Florence
Howard for certain reasons. 1t was Gus
tomary for people in canvassing to change
their name. Bancroft d Co. advised me
to do so. They knew my proper name.
Ny husband died July Is. 1888 About
the middle of February, 1884 went to Los
Angeles. On March II, 1885, went back
to San Francisco. was in Los Angeles
for quite long time. When returned
20 San Francisco l went to Mrs. Van
Arms. left because she would not board
me, and went to the Baldwin Hotel, but
later to the Grand. Then went to- live
with Madam Strauss. From there we left
for Honolulu. We arrived 10th February,
1886. My sister came here with me partly
for her health. She came as Alice Waite
She had never canvassed before. We
stopped at the Hawaiian Hotel three or
four days. From there we went to Mrs.
HOyt's. | am acquainted with Mr.. Glib
son. | first went to see him at his resi-
ience to make an appointment when he
could look at my art books. 1t was before
he Legislature. 1 first saw Mr.. Gibson
about six weeks or two months after L ar
rived here. / was then at Mrs. Hoyt's. |
had an interview with him at his house.
There was no one else there. The books |
had for sale were very heavy. Mr.. Glib |
ION made an appointment for two days |
atcr. kept it. He treated me in very |
and courteous manner At |
he second interview he told me he was a |
Southerner. AT this interview l took |
hree works to show him. He did not |
sive positive order, but promised to take
look and patronize me largely. He seemed |
% take great interest in me; asked me
aoW was getting along; told me he would /
assist me. He told me when l was ready /
% make my list up to come to him and he
would take work. called on him next
It an interval of perhaps six weeks. 1t
vas during the recess Of the Legislature. l
lad met him, though, during that time,
haken hands and conversed with him.
went to see him to get his order for the
ut book and obtained it. 1t was about
o'clock in the afternoon. He received
Ae at his house in the sitting room. He
sked me about British art, and made an
appointment for me to show it to him two
'yenings later. After got his order we
NJ down and talked together, and he was
cry, very pleasant. We had a general
onVersation. Thought he was a most